Axle-bending apparatus



Oct. 7, 1930. w. BAGGE 1,777,686

AXLE BENDING APPARATUS Filed Nov- 22, 1926' 4' Sheets-Sheet l Ticii.

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INVENTOR WALTER 5/1665 ATTORNEY Oct. 7, 1930. w. BAGGE AXLE BENDING APPARATUS Filed NOV- 22, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 7, 1930; w. BAGGE AXLE BENDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet MN MN I lull nhu INVENTOR B WALTER B14665 mw ATTORNEY Q jiTIIU.

Oct. 7, 1930. w BAGGE 1,777,686

AXLE BENDING APPARATUS Filed N J- 2, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jooo INVENTOR WALTER. 5/1665 B ATTORNEY Patented 7,

UNITED sures PA ENT OFFICE =WAL'1ER BAGGE, or Los manna, assmxoa or omrnran r ERNEST seem: AND ONE-THIRD r0 ARTHUR a.

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mnon', BOTH or Los mamas, CALIFOR- mn-anmme'arrmrus Application filed November :2, .1920. Serial No. 150,112.

My invention relates to metal bending ape paratus, and has particular reference, .althou h not necessarily, to apparatus for bending the axles of motor vehicles.

7 It is a purpose of my invention to provide an apparatus by which the bending of vehicle axles can be effected with faci 't patch and accuracy to vary the camber of the front wheelsof any vehicle as desired, and

irrespective of the dimensions of the axle,

, disthus'rendering the apparatus adaptable to all vehicles, including large motor trucks.

I willdescribed only one form of axle bending apparatus embodying myinvention, and

will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view showing in front elevation one form of axle bending apparatus embodying my invention in applied position to the front axle-of a motor vehicle;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure l; Figures 3 and 4 are views taken on the line 33 and 4-4, respectively, of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a view showing 1n top plan the gage embodied in the apparatus shown in Figurel; I

Figure 6 is a view showing the gage in side elevation;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentar view showing one of the graduated disks em odie in the gage shown in Figure 5; l

line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a detail e'rspective -view of one of the brackets em odied in the gage shown in Figure 6;

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are views showing different adaptations of the apparatusto vehicle axles.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a pit P formed inthe floor of agarage with the end walls thereof formed of concrete or other suitable material in which is embedded the ends of a pair of channel bars B. The bars B are secured in spaced parallel Figure 8 is a sectional view takenon the .tion' to the lower edges of the in Flgures 2, 3 and4. through a suitable opening in the plate 18 and relation as shown in Figure 2, so as to accom-- modate therebetween one or more uprights 15 each of which is in the form of a bar proside. of a plate 18 disposed in s anning relar ing cli s 19 adapted to engage the lower gages o the bars, all as clearly illustrated The upright 15 extends through the medium of the pin 17 the upright can be locked in any vertical adjusted poss'ition The upper end of the upright 15 'is provided with an openin 15, in which is engaged the lower hooke end of a connector 20. The n per end of the connector is likewise of hoo ed form 'for engagement with an axle A of a motor vehicle.v Thus the connector 20 and the upright 15 co-operate in holding the vehicle axle against upward movement at any point along the length of the axle, depending upon the point at which the connector is applied, and by virture of the adjustment of the upright it will be manifest thatthe connector can be ap lied to vehicle axles irrespective of their e evation with respect to the top of the pit in order to render the apparatus adaptable to motor vehicles having axles at different elevations due to the construction of the axle or the diameter of the front wheels.

The bars B are adapted to support one or more jacks J, and these jacks may be of any conventional form, preferably a hydraulic jack, in order that the necessary upward force may be obtained to secure the bendingthe present instance comprises a pair of bars" 22 and 23 telescopically associated with each ars and car other through the medium of a air of brackets 24 a'nd 25 secured respective y to the bars 22 and 23 and provided with openings 26 (Figure 9) through which the bars extend. A spring 27 is interposed between the brackets so as to normally urge thebars outwardly, it being understood that the sprin is yieldable to permit the bars to be moved inwardly in effecting an application of the gage to the front wheels of a vehicle. At the outer ends of the bars arms 28 are pivoted thereon at the point indicated at 29, and these arms having laterally projecting ends '30 which are adapted to have contact with the rims of the front wheels when the gage is in applied position as illustrated in Figure 1. The arms 28 at points horizontally alined with respect to the pivots 29 are formed with pointed extensions 31 which constitute indicating hands and which are movable over dials 32 mounted on the bars 22 and 23 by means of screws 33 having knurled heads. As shown in Figure 7, the screw 33 for either dial 32 extends axially through the dial and is adjustable to permit rotation of the dial on the screw in order that the dial may occupy various positions. In the present instance the dial is adapted to occupy any one of four positions, each of which is determined by means of openings 34 in the dial and through any one of which a locking pin 35 is adapted to extend to secure the dial in fixed position. Four sets of graduations indicated at 36 are on the face of the dial and each set of graduations is designed for use in connection with the front wheels of a motor vehicle of a predetermined diameter. F or example, that set of graduations bearing the numeral 30 is adapted for use in connection with wheels thirty inches in diameter, and with the dial adjusted to the position shown in Figure 7 it will be clear that the pointed end of the indicating hand 31 is adapted to move'over the graduations and in this manner to indicate the precise camber of a thirty inch wheel to which the arm 28 is applied. Each arm 28 carries a pair of spirit levels 37 and 38, the level 37 being designed for determining the true vertical position of the arm 28 as applied to the inner side of a front wheel, it being understood that in the use of the gage it is necessary that both arms 28 in applied position to the wheels occupy true vertical positions. The gage is also capable of deterlnining the toe-in of the front wheels, and in this adaptation the arms 28 assume horizontal positions when applied to the front wheels, the arms 28 being employed to ascertain the relative positions of the wheels in respect to toe-in.

It will be understood that the sets of graduations on the dials are employed to indicate the over all diameter of a wheel, that is, the diameter of the wheel with the tire included.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

By moving a motor vehicle to such position that its front end overlies the pit P, its front axle A can be positioned to overlie the bars B in the manner illustrated in Figure 2 in order to permit the subsequent applica tion of one or more connectors 20 thereto for holding the axle at the desired points along its length. Before applying the connectors it is necessary to determine the camber of the front wheels indicated at W and W. This is accomplished by applying the gage in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. As shown by the right hand indicatin hand 31 with respect to t e corresponding ial 32 the camber of the wheel W is, let it be assumed, correct for highways of a given crown. As shown by the other indicating hand 31 the camber of the wheel W is insuificient and hence it is necessary to bend the left hand end portion of the axle downwardly to increase the camber of the wheel W. This is accomplished by applying two connectors 20 and their uprights 15 to the axle A, one of the connectors engaging the axle at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, while the other engages the axle adjacent the left hand end thereof. A jack J is now positioned on the bars B between the connectors 20 and by actuating the jack a lifting force is exerted which is resisted by the connectors 20 in such manner that the left hand end portion of the axle A is bent downwardly. The corresponding indicating hand and dial accurately indicates the degree of bending and by properly controlling the operation of the jack it will bemanifest that the desired degree of bending can be accomplished. In actual practice the axle is bent until the camber of the wheel W is the same as the camber of the wheel W, it being understood, however, that in increasing the camber of the wheel W a sli ht increase in the camber of the wheel VV is simultaneously effected so that the correct camber of the wheel W is temporarily lost. However, it is ultimately restored when the axle is bent through the application of the apparatus in the manner illustrated in Figure 10. As here shown I employ two jacks J and two connectors 20, the jacks being positioned adjacent the ends of the axle and the connectors at opposite sides of the medial point of the axle. With the apparatus thus applied it will be clear that the jacks can be operated to exert lifting forces on the opposite ends of the axle, thereby bending such ends upwardly the desired degree or until both of the wheels assume the original position indicated by the hand 31 of the wheel W whereby the camber of both wheels is made the same and the correct or desired camber.

To illustrate another application of the apparatus, reference is bad to Figure 11,

I 1,777,0ee

wherein the condition is reversed in respect to that illustrated in Figural, that is, the camber of the wheel W is correct, while that of the wheel W is excessive, and it is therefore necessary to bend the left hand end of the axle upwardly. To this end two jacks -and a sin manners own, and with actuation of the jacks the axle end can be bent u wardly until the two hands 31* indicate t e same deee of camber for both wheels. During this tudinally on the bars B, the latter constituting a base and the uprights and connectors constituting the holding means which are capable of engaging and holding an axle that they may properly co-operate with one or more jacks in e acting the desired bending of the axle to secure the proper camber of the front wheels of the vehicle. Furthermore b providing a base or suport which in e set is a rigid member and 1s fixed in a position so that an automobile can be rolled on its wheels to dispose an axle to be bent, above and substantially parallel to the length of-the member, lateral and longitudinal shifting or displacement of the membar with respect to the axle during the bend-- ing' operation, is prevented, and the connectors and their uprights enabled to co-act with the-jacks, in eflectmg a predetermined bending of the axle with maximum efliciency and accuracy.

e connector 20 are applied in the applying the a paratus as illusbars by which a force is adapted to be exerted I against the axle at o posite sides of said connector, whereby the atter will coact with said means to eflect the bending of the axle.

' 2. An axle bendin apparatus comprising a pair of bars .ada te to sup rted in side by side spaced re ation fromt e walls of'a pit, a plate, clips secured to the plate andengaging the bars so as to support the late for sliding movement along t e undersi e of the bars, said plate having an oggning therethrough, an upri ht member tween said bars extending t rough the plate 0 enin and having a series of openings, a in apte to beextended through any one 0 said openings in said member and engaging the undersi e of said plate, a connector having hooked "ends by which said member is adapted to be connected to the axle of a vehicle so as to hold the axle against upward movement at the point of connection, and means adapted to be supported on said bars by which an orce is adapted to be exerted against upward the axle at opposite sides of said connector, I

whereby the latter will coact with said means .to effect bending of the axle. at any desired points along its length in order 7 3. Means for supporting an axle a ainst spaced relation from the walls of a pit, a plate slidably mounted on the bars, an upright member between the bars extending through said plate and having, anv opening there through, a pin extending through sa1d opening and engaging the under side of the late, and a connector having means by which. it

is capable of being connected to. said member and the axle in a manner to prevent upward movement of the axle at its point of connection with the connector.

' Although I have herein shown and d'escribed only one form of axle bendin apparatus embod ing my invention, it 1s to be understood t atvarlou's changes and modifiv cations may be made without deplarting from the spirit of the invention, and t e spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. An axle bending a air of bars adapted to be supported 1n si e b side spaced relation from the walls of a pit, a plate slidably mounted on the bars,

an upright member between the bars extending through said plate and having an openand means adapted to be supported on sai apparatus comprising WALTER, Bases. 

